Reading in Reykjavík

Author: Kate Fenton Previously published as: Lions and Liquorice Year published: 1995. American publication: 2005 Pages: 276 Genre: Romance (sort of) The Story: A film outfit arrives in a tiny Yorkshire village to film Pride and Prejudice . Local writer Llew Bevan looks on the proceedings with a jaundiced eye as the film’s star sweeps his widowed brother-in-law off his feet, and he himself can not help being attracted to not one, but two of the outsiders: haughty director Mary Dance, and a young woman who has a serious quarrel with Mary. Technique and plot: Ring any bells? No? Think Pride and Prejudice in a modern setting with older players and reversed gender roles. I have avoided reading any of the “sequels” that have been written to Jane Austen’s novels, as I know no-one can do the characters as well as she did. But a modern spin-off is another matter. I read about this book several years ago while browsing the The Republic of Pemberley fansite. Everyone said it was hilario...

Author: Ellis Peters No. in series: 3 Series detective: George Felse Year published: 1964 Pages: 247 Type of mystery: Murder Type of detective: Police and amateurs Setting and time: Wales, 1960’s Some themes: Murder, robbery, obsession The Story: A young man sees Annet, the daughter of his landlord, walking up a mountain. She returns five days later but maintains that she has been away only 2 hours, counting on being believed because of stories of such things having happened before on the mountain. However, she looks like the young woman seen standing near a jewellery store where an old man was murdered and robbed, and the police suspect that her male companion is guilty of the crime. But Annet refuses to talk, and Felse has a hard time solving the mystery and finding her lover. Review: I have read a couple of Ellis Peter’s Brother Cadfael mysteries and one non-series book, and therefore could not include her in the challenge. But this is my first acquaintance with Inspecto...

Author: José Carlos Somoza Year published: 2000 Pages: 314 Type of mystery: Murder Type of detective: A “decipherer of enigmas” Setting & time: Athens, ancient Greece Some themes: Murder, philosophy, obsession, translation The Story: It is the time of Plato. A beautiful young man is found murdered on the outskirts of Athens, and his teacher, the philosopher Diagoras, hires Heracles Pontor, Decipherer of Enigmas, to investigate the death. In footnotes we see the comments of the translator who is translating the ancient manuscript that tells the story, into a modern language. As the investigation progresses, the translator gets more and more involved in the story, even begins to think he is in it, and traces, for the benefit of the reader, some clues that are scattered throughout the text and seem to refer to the 12 labours of Hercules. The translator thinks they are the key to a secret meaning hidden in the text (and the reader scents an ancient secret about to be revealed)....

Author: Sándor Márai Original title: A gyertyák csonkig egnék (Hungarian) Translated into English by: Carol Brown Janeway Published: 1942 (original), 2003 (translation) Genre: Literature Excerpt from Embers Story: It’s 1941 and an old general is living alone with his servants in a castle in the Carpathian forest. One day an old friend of his announces his arrival, and old memories bubble to the surface. The friend listens while the general talks about their childhood friendship and the events that led to the friend’s departure 41 years before. Review: This novel is a bit unusual in its set-up in that nearly two-thirds of the story is a monologue by one of the main characters. The interjections by the other main character are so few and short that it can’t really be called a dialogue. The first third of the story is scene setting, descriptions of people, places and situations, told in a conventional style. The story is slow, almost painfully so at times. The language is flowing,...

I read three of Peters’ books: two non-series romantic mysteries, and the first book in the Amelia Peabody historical mystery series. I think I have got a pretty good sampling of her work. Peters also writes suspense stories under the name of Barbara Michaels, and I have one of those books in my TBR stash that I plan on reviewing. Title: Crocodile on the Sandbank No. in series: 1 Series detective: Amelia Peabody Year of publication: 1975 Availability: In print Type of mystery: Supernatural (?) Type of investigator: Amateur Setting & time: (mostly) Egypt, 1880’s Some themes: Archaeology, stalking, mummies, adventure, feminism, romance Story: Amelia Peabody, a spinster in her early 30’s, is left a considerable fortune by her father and decides to go on a Grand Tour of Europe and Egypt. In Italy she rescues a young, destitute English lady, Evelyn, who has been “ruined” (loss of sexual innocence without the blessings of marriage was a big deal for women in those days) and cru...

Title: In the last analysis No. in series: 1 Year of publication: 1964 Type of mystery: murder, whodunnit Type of investigator: amateurs Setting & time: New York, 1960’s Some themes: Psychoanalysis, murder, literature, university life Story: New York literature Professor Kate Fansler is shocked when a former student of hers is murdered on the couch of the psychoanalyst Kate recommended to her. What’s worse, the psychoanalyst, an old friend of Kate’s, is the police’s favourite suspect. Not trusting in the intelligence and experience of the police, Kate begins an investigation of her own, assisted by her nephew-in-law to-be who does the sleuthing, and a friend who is an assistant district attorney and has access to inside information about the investigation. Kate herself mostly does the thinking and the mental arithmetic involved in putting together the clues and finding a likely suspect and motive. This she does and arrives at a theory. Unfortunately she is, at first, unable ...

Author: Judy Blume Year published: 1970 The Story: 12 year old Margaret Simon has conversations with God, but doesn’t belong to any religion, because her mother is Christian and her father Jewish and they want her to choose her religious orientation for herself. When she is given an assignment where she has to keep a journal about some self-chosen subject for the whole winter, she decides to investigate religion. She and her friends are getting to the age when boys are becoming exiting, and they are all looking forward to the moment they will start to menstruate. Basically, religion and budding sexuality are the main themes of the book, along with friendship and prejudice. Technique and plot: I decided to read this story mostly because it is among the most banned or challenged books in the USA and has been since it was first published. It seems to have been challenged mostly for it’s portrayal of budding sexuality, but probably also for the controversial religious content – Margar...